Close Approach of 2025 FA22

[PMSchu]

Mark your calendars minor planet hunters!

CNEOS predicts that the medium-sized NEO, 2025 FA22, will make a close approach on 2025-Sep-18 07:42±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.00563 AU moving with V Relative=10.79 km/sec, H=21.6 magnitude, diameter 120 m - 280 m and 'Rarity'=3. As of 2025 Jul 24, there was a 4892 day observation arc, the  Condition Code=0 and the Earth MOID=0.00173467 AU. The solution date was 2025-Jul-24 08:34:04 PDT. The initial observation was by Pan-STARRS 2, Haleakala on 2025 03 29. The observation arc was extended by additional observations by Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala on 2012 02 26, 2012 11 01 and 2014 03 12. This NEO is on the MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs).

Using MPC's elements for 2025 Aug 14 0000 UT, ST4.1.1.16 Visual Pro predicts that this NEO will reach a peak brightness of 13.2 magnitude on Sep 18 at 2300 EDT (Sep 19 0300 UT) traveling through Taurus at 90"/minute near the horizon in Columbus, Ohio. Close apoproach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2025 Sep 18 at 0400 EDT (0800 UT) with 2025 FA22 predicted to be 14 magnitude traveling through Orion at 160"/minute.

I'll post an update closer to the date of the close approach.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

[bigmasterdrago]

This big boy is saved in my hit list for the early morning of September 19th. It's moving slightly slower (70"/min) when well placed to observe but should be a good show if 13.3 mag estimates are true.

Kenneth Drake

[PMSchu]

Hi BMD,

JPL hasn't updated the orbit since 2025 July 24. Hopefully they'll perform an updated calculation closer to the time of the close approach.  The observation arc is pretty long because they found 2025 FA22 in data from PAN-STARRS 1 in 2012 and 2014. Very cool.

You're farther south, so you'll have a much better view, weather permitting.

Phil S.

[PMSchu]

Here's the update for the NEO 2025 FA22. CNEOS still hasn't repeated the refinement of the orbit, but since the Condition Code is already 0 and the NEO is still ~20 magnitude in Hydra, perhaps they don't feel a need.

CNEOS predicts that the medium-sized Apollo class NEO, 2025 FA22, will make a close approach on 2025-Sep-18 07:42±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.00563 AU moving with V Relative=10.79 km/sec, H=21.6 magnitude, diameter 120 m - 280 m and 'Rarity'=3. As of 2025 Jul 24, there is a 4892 day observation arc, the Condition Code=0 and the Earth MOID=0.00173467 AU. The solution date was 2025-Jul-24 08:34:04 PDT. The initial observation was by Pan-STARRS 2, Haleakala on 2025 03 29. The observation arc extended by observations by Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala on 2012 02 26, 2012 11 01 and 2014 03 12. This NEO is on MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) that you can download using SkyTools. On 2173-Sep-21 01:57 ± 2_04:20 UT it's predicted to pass within 0.00288 AU of Earth.

Using MPC's orbital elements for the epoch 2025 Sep 8 0000 UT, ST4.1.11.16 Visual Pro predicts that 2025 FA22 will reach a peak brightness of 13.2 magnitude on the evening of September 18 with the NEO ~1000k km distant traveling through Taurus at ~90"/minute, but near the ENE horizon in Columbus, Ohio. It will fade slightly to 13.3 magnitude as it rises, but the visibility will improve as it does so. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2025 September 18 at 0400 EDT (0800 UT) with 2025 FA22 845.4k km distant traveling through Orion at 13.9 magnitude and 160"/minute.

Here's the Object Info dialog for 2025 FA22:    

Since this NEO will pass very close to earth, observers should follow the directions in the "Important Threads" at the top of this forum section to obtain the most accurate orbital elements.  This is a "Rarity"=3 event, so they don't happen very frequently.

Good hunting,

Phil S.